HP spoke about the previous firmware update blocking third-party ink

Following a recent update that blocked some third-party ink cartridges fore its printers, HP formally apologized to customers this week for how it communicated about the change. Earlier this month, the company updated its firmware making cartridges made by other companies unusable on its printers. HP cited quality and security reasons for switching up its authentication process. Those third-party options are typically cheaper and as you might expect, customers weren't happy about not being able to use those supplies.

HP admitted in a blog post that it "should have done a better job of communicating about the authentication procedure." The company says the reason for the update was to "ensure the best customer experience" and to block any third-party cartridges that don't contain an HP security chip and infringe on its intellectual property. In other words, the company apologized for the lack of communication, but defended the decision to push the update.

"We will continue to use security features to protect the quality of our customer experience, maintain the integrity of our printing systems and protect our IP including authentication methods that may prevent some third-party supplies from working," HP COO Jon Flaxman explained in the post.

To try and remedy the dust up with its customers, HP is offering an optional software update that will remove the recently added security feature. The company says it will take about two weeks for the second update to be ready, but when the time comes, customers can find information here. http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Inkjet-Printing/source: HP